2 The Goodland Daily News / Friday, July 27, 2001 commentary from other pens... Dems craft strategy to take back House By Will Lester Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON — Democrats aiming to regain control of Congress say they’re miffed Republicans in the election borrowed their most reli- able issues like prescription drugs, patients’ rights and Social Security. Republicans counter they are only offering alternative policies. This week, Democrats offered a preview of a campaign strategy for the 2002 House elections — contrasting votes of swing-district Repub- licans with their campaign promises before the last election. “This is what they specialize in — deception,” said House Demo- cratic Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri. “Try to concoct a bill that looks like our bill, but it isn’t enforceable. ... this is illusion — that they are for something they are not for.” During the fight over the patients’ bill of rights this week, Democrats released a spoof video with themes likely to be repeated as the cam- paigns heat up. The video, titled “I know what you did last summer” shows Repub- lican campaign ads from lawmakers in swing districts promising they will support patients’ rights in dealing with HMOs. Living in a small town is ‘great, not great’ The Democrats say many of those GOP lawmakers have abandoned bipartisan legislation that offers the strongest protections. Similar con- I don’t know about you, but I live in a small town. Now don’t send me letters of complaint. I only trasts between campaign ads and actual votes could be effective on In fact this is the smallest one ever — except for lorna offer this as levity and fun. prescription drugs and Social Security, Democrats say. the time I lived in England. Depending on your attitude, the items on the Republican Rep. Tom Davis, chairman of the National Republican Small towns are great! g. t. above list can be considered good OR bad. Congressional Committee, scoffs at Democratic attempts to show GOP Small towns are also Not Great! We all know that it’s usually better to rear chil- lawmakers have broken promises. Like everything else in life, a lot depends on your • commentary dren in a small town instead of a city; having every “We’ll vote for a patients’ bill of rights,” Davis said. “The average attitude. adult in town knowing your child’s name and help- guy doesn’t know what that means. For the average person, they want Recently I saw this article in a monthly publica- boring town. ing to watch out for him/her is terrific. to know they can appeal their HMO’s decision.” tion. I can’t credit the author, as none was listed. 11) You had senior skip day. We can list many more things about small towns. A bipartisan bill supported by the Democratic leadership would al- This is entitled ‘You might be from a small town 12) The whole school went to the same party after As an exercise in appreciation, why don’t you try low patients’ expanded rights to sue, while the Republican alternative if….’: graduation. to make a list? would limit those rights and offer alternative appeals. President Bush 1) You can name every person you graduated 13) You didn’t give directions by street names - I don’t think my column is seen by many people wants the version that limits lawsuits. with. you gave them by references (turn at Nelson’s in large cities. (I wish it were.) But if by chance some Republicans expect to have their usual financial advantages in the 2) You know what 4-H is. house, go two blocks east of Anderson’s and it’s 4 city-dweller reads this and is so inclined, please campaign for the House, said Carl Forti, a spokesman for the Republi- 3) You ever went to parties at a pasture, barn, or houses left of the track field.) itemize all the great things about living in the city. cans’ congressional committee. He said the GOP has raised more than in the middle of a dirt road. 14) The golf course had only 9 holes. I’ll be happy to give you equal space if you’ll send $38 million and has $14 million in available cash. Democrats say they 4) You used to ‘cruise the drag.’ 15) Your car stays filthy because of the dirt roads, your list to me. have raised $18 million and have $9 million on hand. 5) You said a cuss word and your parents knew and you will never own a dark vehicle for this rea- Meanwhile, I’m sitting at my computer looking “I know they can run millions of dollars of ads again and create the within the hour. son. out on a beautifully calm, sunny summer day, and perception they support these issues,” Democrat Gephardt said. “But 6) You ever went cow-tipping or snipe-hunting. 16) You think kids that ride skateboards are I’m grateful to be living where quiet is actually it gets harder, voters get disappointed. You can fool people one time, 7) School gets canceled for state events. weird. possible. The phone hasn’t rung, only three cars but they won’t be fooled again.” 8) You were ever in the Homecoming parade. 17) The town next to you is considered ‘trashy’ have passed by my house, and I haven’t heard an “The Democratic issues are the issues of the majority of the Ameri- 9) You have ever gone back home for Home- or ‘snooty,’ but is actually just like your town. emergency siren all day. can people — prescription drug benefits, Social Security, protecting coming. 18) Getting paid minimum wage is considered a If you have comments for Lorna write to her at the environment, protecting Medicare,” said Rep. Nita Lowey of New 10) It was cool to date someone from the neigh- raise. <[email protected]> York, chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Com- mittee. “Our job is to define the issues and make it absolutely clear who’s for real patients’ bill of rights, real prescription drugs.” The victory in Virginia’s District 4 by Randy Forbes gave the Repub- Journalism’s ‘sex-plus’ rule licans a 12-seat lead in the 435-member House, and Democrats think WASHINGTON — You need a license to write in spades. She was an intern working under the presi- they can win enough seats in the off-year election to take over. about a politician’s love life. It’s called “sex-plus.” chris dent. As an affair, this was pure workplace drama. “We don’t know what state the economy is going to be in,” he said, Here are the rules: If it’s a boozy sleepover, fin- If you define the president’s workplace to include “what our energy situation will be. But we ran on certain themes and ished off with English muffins and French coffee matthews the backroom sink, this one never left it. As an ear- we’d better produce.” the next morning, it’s not a story. But suppose that lier occupant might have put it, this was a sex deal Rapid changes in the political winds could mean issues that seem criti- the excellent young woman a politician meets in a commentary “of, by and for” the workplace. cal now may recede and the Democrats’ plans “pose no threat,” Davis said. crowded room the night before doesn’t show up for • The bigger “plus” was an American president’s Both sides acknowledge a severe downturn in the economy could work the next day. What if she leaves the face of needed to have a reporter bring the news to him. denial of the whole thing under oath. When you’re have a dramatic effect on the elections. the earth? Does anyone in the world think that’s not JFK went to great pains to keep editors from such trying to keep a story out of the newspapers, perjury “Economic conditions could change things,” said Davis. “In a deep a story? painful decisions. Once, he had the estimable Adlai is a bastard. So is the suggestion that you’re trying recession, people look at the alternative party — not necessarily what “Sex-plus” is the news reporter’s rule of engage- Stevenson meet him at the Carlyle in New York, to get the girl a job in New York to keep her mouth the alternative stands for.” ment in Gary Condit’s Washington. It is the same only for the U.N. ambassador to realize that the shut. So is the fact that she had spilled the entire story EDITOR’S NOTE — Will Lester covers politics and polling for The one that applied in Jack Kennedy’s day. embarrassingly brief meeting was a cover for a more to the one workmate she knew for a fact hated the Associated Press. Jack, as we know now, had this long-running extended stay with someone a tad more entrancing. boss. thing with a gorgeous Jackie look-alike named Keeping the lid on an affair also means dating So what are the rules for Gary Condit? The same Judy Campbell. He engineered each rendezvous girls hornier for you than they are for publicity. Judy as they were 40 years ago: Your relationship with with better precision and more secrecy than the Bay Campbell didn’t drop the bomb on him when he was Chandra Levy was your business. You kept it that The Goodland Daily News of Pigs. He had the room number. She would be the hot frontrunner in the New Hampshire primary.